Before the season, I picked the Bengals to be this year’s team to go from in the playoffs to 5 wins or fewer because I thought they were the weakest of the 12 playoff teams last year, coming in tied for the fewest wins with 9 and having not beaten a single playoff team all year, including the playoffs, when they were one and done. With the Bengals starting 3-1 and the Saints getting off to a horrible start, I moved the Bengals up slightly and the Saints into this spot, but after 3 straight losses by the Bengals, it’s time to put them back here.

They’ve lost to Pittsburgh (3-3), Baltimore (5-2), Cleveland (1-6), and Miami (3-3) and won against Jacksonville (1-5), Washington (3-4) and Cleveland (1-6). They most likely still have not beaten a playoff team in the Andy Dalton era and look at their schedule the rest of the way: vs. Denver, vs. New York Giants, @ Kansas City, vs. Oakland, @ San Diego, vs. Dallas, @ Philadelphia, @ Pittsburgh, vs. Baltimore. Considering their struggles against quality opponents, they could go 2-7 the rest of the way. It’s not out of the realm of possibility. I compared them to the 2011 Buccaneers in my season preview and that kind of finish could happen for them.

Studs

LG Clint Boling: Did not allow a pressure on 28 pass block snaps, rushed for 7 yards on 1 attempt

RG Kevin Zeitler: Did not allow a pressure on 28 pass block snaps, rushed for 7 yards on 3 attempts